Airship



A. W. ALLEN June 1, 1937.

AIRSHIP Filed April 21, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. W. ALLEN June 1, 1937.

AIBSHIP 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 'Filed April 21, 1956 Patented June 1, 1937 Alfred w. Allen, Philadelphia, Pa.

' 1 f Annie This invention relates to new and useful im provements in lighter than air ships of; thesof called dirigible or Zeppelin type and more particularly to the frameworkonbody structure of such ships. t w Up to the present time,, the frame or body structures of thet majgrity of lighter than air ships of the general type set :forth, have, been characterized by'their-extreme rigidity, a factor which is believed by many persons to have been responsible for numerous disasters and wrecks because of the relativelygreat surface area of ships of this type andthe practicalinability of constructing the frames 'orlbody structures thereof with sufficient strength to withstand the constantly varying, unequalstresses and strains to which such shipsarefsubjected by the force of direct and counter air currents andvother ele; ments of nature. t v Q a The principal object f thisinvention there-.

fore, is to provide a sectionalframe or body struc ture for lighter than air Ships of the character;

set forth which is novelly constructedto afford a predetermined limited de'gree of flexibility or relative movement between adjacentsections or stand the initial impact .of sudden stresses and strains due to theforce of direct and counterair' currents as well as other elements of nature and absorb and distributedsuch, stresses and strains throughout the frame or; body structure so that the full force ofsuchtcurrents will not beperi mitted to concentrate 'within airelatively'srnall'v portion of the surface'area of the ship' andthus 35 cause the frame or body to. buckle or crumple due area of the ship. I

Another object of the ivention is to provide force and impact of direct stresses andstrains Another object of the invention [is t) provide a frame or body structure of the character set forth for lighter than air ships of thestated type 55 frame or body structure's.

units of said body structure. and arranged to with-.

tothedifferential in such force or pressure within that portion and the remainder-[of (the surface a frame or body structure for lighter than air ships of the stated character which is constructed and arranged to absorb, distribute' and dissipate throughout the frame structure not, only the but also those forces "of nature'jwhich react to which is capable of successfullyf'withstanding comparatively fgreater direct" and torsional stresses and strains than has been possible herej tofore in ships of this" character having rigid:

A further object .of the invention is to provide aframe onbody structurevof the character set forth for lighter than air ships of the stated type which is constructed and arranged to permit such a shiptobe safely landed uponrelatively uneven surfaces without danger of breakingvsaid frame or body structure due to the unequal support therefor afforded by such surfaces. still further object-of theinvention is to providea frame or body structure of the character set forth forv lighter than air ships ofthe stated; type which is constructed and arranged sothatthe shock ,or force of impact or collision with a foreign body will be distributed and absorbed at a plurality ofpoints throughout the frameor bodystructureand minimize the result ing damage to:;the ship. H These andfother objects of the invention and the features and details of construction thereof are setforth hereinafter and shown in the accompanying, drawings, in which: n i i Fig. 1 is a view in side elevat'on of a lighter than airship embodying the present invention a portion of the covering thereof having been removed to betterillustrate the frame or body structure of said ship, t t t Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of one end of a sec-- tion' or-unit of the frame or body structure of theship takenonline 2-2 Fig. 1. I

Fig-J3 ,is an enlarged view inv section von line VF -T Fig. 4 isan enlarged fragmentary View in per spective 'ofuthat jportion of the frame or body structure lying withinthe circle in Fig.2 hereof, showing lthesame in cooperative relation with similar fstructure of an; adjacent unit or section.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View in side elevation of the joint of connection between adjacentl sections of'the frame or body structure of the" ship "showing the details of construction thereof.

Fig.7 6 is an endjview of the disclosurein Fig. 5 hereof; an

fFigQj'? is a view infelevation of a'modific'ation 0f ih linven nq j a 'Refe'rrin w more particularly to the draw- Y ings, referen "inumeral l" designates generally a lighterthanair s'hipof the dirigible or Zeppelin typehavinga'frameor body structure 2 encased within a j covering 3' and" including the customary passenger gondola t as we'll as'the usual elevators and rudders 5 and fi'respectively. The frame or bodystructurei is composed of a plurality of more or less similarly constructed units or seetionsr arranged end to endin axial alignment as shown, and in the present instance each of said frame or body sections 1 includes relatively spaced end and intermediate polygonal frame portions 8 and 9 respectively. The end frame portions 8 are each composed of a plurality of structural girders or like members ID, the ends of each of which are secured in any suitable manner such as by welding, riveting or the like, to the adjacent outer surfaces of the inwardly extending side or wall portions 'H 'of a;*plurality' of triangular caps or like members l2 disposed in alternate relation between adjacent members 10 peripherally of said end portions as showmjin Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings.

A number of other structural members l3 such I as girders, beams or the like are'secured invat; similar manner to the outer surfaces of'the prev i ously mentioned inwardly eiitendingsideor wall' portions ll of certain of the cap members jlandthe ends of said members I Q are notched or otherwise formed toreceive the opposite corners at the base or inner endedge-of said cap members-in l6 extend radially ofthe end frame portions of the units or sections! at equallyspaced iritervals. thereabout, said cable or wires-{16' being 'connected' betwee'n'a' central ring -memb er ll and the previously mentioned structural members i5 and having springsor'other resilient elements I8 located intermediate their en'ds for' the purpose of adding flexibility to the structure. g

The previously mentionediinterinediate"frame portion 9 of each unitor section I is-constructed in accordance with the foregoing description 01 the end frame portions 8 thereof with the exception that the'triangular' cap 'members llas well as the ropes or cables 16 f thelatter are not present. in the former and the ends of the peripheral structural elements or members ill are secured directly together in abutting relation.- The outer or endfianieportibns 8fas'well asthe intermediate portion 9 are.supported inrelati'vely spaced coaxial relation with'respect to each other by means of longitudinally {disposed triangular structural members l a :jWhiCh have" their outer ends inserted into the recess formedby the inwardly extending wall' porti'onsfl'l ofj the cap; members I2 in the endportion's I! of eaohframe' section I so that said "wall'portions H embrace the end portions of .saidmembers l9.

Referring now particularly'tQ1.F i'gs.,5 and-'6 of the drawings, it will,- be observed. that the socalled cap members [2 are provided.withfbraces or supports 20 of substantially semi-circular configuration which, abut the, inner'surf'aceofthe triangular base or endportion ll thereof and are secured toangle .pieces or the like 22' in any suit able manner such. as byweldingiorthe like, said angle, pieces engaging portions, of the inner surfaces. of the ends oflthelongitudinal structural members l9 andbei-ng secured thereto, and 'tothe sideor wall portions ll ofsaidcaps l2 .bymeans of rivets or the like; 24', although any other means of securing these elements together may be employed.

After the desired number of units or sections I have been constructed in accordance with the foregoing, the several sections are arranged coaxially end to end with the several co-planar outer base or end faces 25 of the member l2 of each of said sections in alignment with one another and the opposite ends of one or more coil springsor other similarresilient elements 28 of substantial capacity are permanently secured in any suitable manner such as by welding or the like, to said correspondingly aligned outwardly facing surfaces 25 in adjacent end portions 8 of "each of said unit or frame sections 1 in the man- ,ner and relation shown in Figs. 4, and 6 of the elements'lfi'mayfbepermanently secured in any suitable manner to'or within supports, sockets orthe like 21, for" example as indicated at 29 in Figs? of the drawings, said supports, sockets or the like2'lbeing in turn secured to said faces 25 of saidcapmembers "by means of rivets, weldingor any other suitable means.

By constructing the frame or body structures 2 oflighter thanair ships in accordance with the foregoing description the undesirable extreme rigidityof such structuresis eliminated and the framework rendered ,more or less'fiexible and resilient soth'at'it'wi'll yield slightly) to the initial impact or'shock of'stresses and-strains and other forceswithout rending or cr'umpling. the structural' elements thereof. The initial force of the shock'd'ueto stresses and strains is absorbed in partat'the point of impactby relative expansion an'dcontraction of the'spring126 at the nearest resilient connections between the longitudinally extending members l9'of the sections and the remainderwdistributed'and similarly absorbed by the resilient connections between the members IQ of th'e'frame sections extending longitudinally of the ship at either side'of said point of impact. After theinitial'shock upon the structure has been distributedand absorbed in this manner by the resilient connections between the longitudinal members of the frame sections, the body structure will recover and eifectively withstand the force of the stress or strain as long as itcontinues- The reaction of the body structure to'torsional stresses and strains is substantially the same, the initial impact of the force beingab'sorbecl' proportionally by the resilient elements. 26. between and adjacent the peripheries of the end portions 8 of the sections 1 affected.

It. will be observed from the foregoing that the full forceandefi'ect of any stress or strain exertedon the body structure 2 is not permitted to concentrate within a relatively'small fraction of the total. surface area of the ship but is distributed longitudinally and circumferentially throughout the said bodystructure by the severairigidstructural 'members therein and absorbed and spent proportionally by the reaction of the resilient connections betweenthe longituq dlnal members of the several sections 1 of said structure which function to resist and strengthen the latter by virtue of the relative expansion and contraction of said resilient elements. The present construction further functions to eliminate the possibility of the occurrence of small fractures and breaks at various points throughout the body structure as well as the tendency toward crystallization of the material of the component structural elements as the result of the day to day wear caused by contact with the elements of nature.

While the structural members Ill and I9 of the several sections or units 1 as well as the so-called cap members l2 have been illustrated and described as being of substantially triangular shape, it will be obvious that the invention is not limited to structural elements of any particular form or configuration but the same may be of any shape desired, it being preferred, however, to have the cross section shape of the several longitudinal members l9 correspond to the shape of the cap members employed in a particular body structure so that the end portions of said members l9 may be snugly embraced by the inwardly extending side or Wall portions ll of said cap members in accordance with the previous description, and it is to be further understood that although a specific embodiment of the invention has been set forth herein for purposes of description, it is not intended that said invention shall be limited precisely thereto but that various methods of construction may be employed in the basic frame structure and resilient connections provided therebetween without departing from the invention where such changes, modifications and alterations reside within the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. A skeleton framework for airships including a plurality of substantially equally spaced circumferentially arranged articulated compositebeams extending along the surface of said framework from end to end thereof and composed of a succession of aligned rigid members flexibly connected together by means capable of absorbing tension, compression and torsional stresses whereby stresses and strains received by the framework are transmitted and distributed longitudinally thereof by said members and absorbed and spent in said connecting means.

2. A skeleton framework for airships including a plurality of substantially equally spaced circumferentially arranged parallel groups of aligned rigid structural members extending along the surface of said framework at predetermined spaced intervals longitudinally thereof, a plurality of spaced parallel groups of circumferentially extending rigid structural members secured between the corresponding longitudinal structural members in each adjacent parallel group thereof, means secured to the ends of each longitudinal member in the several parallel groups thereof constructed and arranged to provide an i outwardly facing plane surface at opposite ends of each of said members, and means capable of absorbing tension, compression and torsional stresses connecting the plane surfaces of the first mentioned means at adjacent ends of each of said longitudinal members whereby stresses and strains received by the framework are transmitted and distributed longitudinally and circumferentially thereof by said structural members and absorbed and spent in said connecting means.

3. A skeleton framework for airships including a plurality of substantially equally spaced circumferentially arranged parallel groups of aligned rigid structural members extending along the surface of said framework at predetermined spaced intervals longitudinally thereof, means secured to the ends of each longitudinal member in the several parallel groups thereof constructed and arranged to provide an outwardly facing plane surface at opposite ends of each of said members, and means capable of absorbing tension, compression and torsional stresses connecting the plane surfaces of the first mentioned means at adjacent ends of each of said longitudinal members whereby stresses and strains received by the framework are transmitted and distributed longitudinally thereof by said members and absorbed and spent in said connecting means.

4. A skeleton framework for airships including a plurality of substantially equally spaced circumferentially arranged parallel groups of aligned rigid structural members extending longitudinally in the surface of said framework at predetermined spaeed intervals, a plurality of spaced parallel groups of circumferentially extending rigid structural members secured between the corresponding longitudinal structural members in each adjacent parallel groupthereof, means secured to the ends of each longitudinal member in the several parallel groups thereof constructed and arranged to provide an outwardly facing plane surface at opposite ends of each of said members, and coiled means capable of absorbing tension, compression and torsional stresses having its opposite ends connected respectively to the plane surfaces of the first mentioned means at adjacent ends of each of said longitudinal members whereby stresses and strains received by the framework are transmitted and distributed longitudinally and circumferentially thereof by said structural members and absorbed and spent in said connecting means.

5. A skeleton framework for airships including a plurality of substantially equally spaced circumferentially arranged parallel groups of aligned rigid structural members extending longitudinally in the surface of said framework at predetermined spaced intervals, means secured to the ends of each longitudinal member in the several parallel groups thereof constructed and arranged to provide an outwardly facing plane surface at opposite ends of each of said members, and coiled means capable of absorbing tension, compression and torsional stresses having its opposite ends connected respectively to the plane surfaces of the first mentioned means at adjacent ends of each of said longitudinal members whereby stresses and strains received by the framework are transmitted and distributed longitudinally thereof by said members and absorbed and spent in said connecting means.

6. A framework for airships including a plurality of articulated composite beams extending in the surface of the framework from end to end thereof and arranged toprovidea shell-like structure the interior of which is unobstructed and free to contain gas cells and facilitate handling thereof, said articulated composite beams being composed of a succession of rigid members having means providing outwardly facing plane surfaces at opposite ends thereof and flexibly connected together between such surfaces by means capable of absorbing tension, compression and torsional stresses whereby stresses and strains received by the beams are transmitted and. distributed through the rigid members composing the same and absorbed and spent in said connecting means.

'7. A framework for airships including a plurality of articulated composite beams extending in the surface of the framework from end to end thereof and arranged to provide a shell-like structure the interior of which isunobstructed and free to contain gas cells and facilitate handling thereof, said articulated composite beams being composed of a succession of rigid-.members flexibly connected together between adjacent ends by means capable of absorbing tension, compression and torsional stresses whereby stresses and strains received by the beams are transmitted and distributed through the rigid mem bers composing the same and absorbed and spent in said connecting means.

ALFRED W. ALLEN. 

